Schwarzbier Recommendations

Re: Smoke and dagger- you're creeping ever closer to being a true smoked beer aficionado, Jack

Glad you enjoyed it- so far it's my most-purchased beer by Jack's Abby (and they don't even hop the hell out of it ).

 

Michael, I like some ‘full on’ smoked beers but I do not like others. For example, I am a BIG fan of Schlenkerla Fastenbier; I drank many glasses of that at the Yard’s Smoke ‘Em if Yous Got’em event. Now, the Schlenkerla Oak Smoked Doppelbock was a ‘horse of another color’; that beer had a borderline medicinal taste to it which I did not enjoy.

The smoke level in the Smoke & Dagger is a low level smoke flavor to my palate. I noted that on BA this beer is categorized as being a Rauchbier but it tastes closer to being a Schwarzbier to me since the smoke level is low. Below is how Jack’s Abby describes Smoke & Dagger:

“Cloaked in mystery, this dark black beer skirts the line between a schwarzbier and smoked porter. The use of a small percentage of traditional Beechwood smoked malt adds complexity and balances the liberal use of chocolate malt.”

I think you comment of “so far it's my most-purchased beer by Jack's Abby (and they don't even hop the hell out of it” is poignant. The other ‘popular’ beer from Jack’s Abby is Jabby Brau which has 20 IBUs. Needless to say that the BA community will be more vociferous in discussing the highly hopped Jack’s Abby beer (e.g., Hoponius Union, Kiwi Rising, etc.) but it really is worthwhile noting that Jack’s Abby does make tasty non-hop bombs as well.

Cheers!

 

IMO, the German schwarzbiers are some of the best (after all, they invented the style).

Mönchshof schwarzbier= excellent, creamy and balanced. Kostritzer is quite popular. Kaiserdom is another good one.

An American version of the schwarzbier= Uinta's Baba Black Lager. It is a little thin for my taste, but it has decent reviews.

 

That may be true for now, but once you start heading down that road who knows where your palate will take you in a couple of years. I'd venture that a lot of us started out drinking more mildly smoked beers, and then developed more of a taste for it. Either way, there are quality smoked beers out there with varying amounts of smoke character in them- I'd just encourage you not to give up on some of the classics even if they don't suit you today. (and, fwiw- that Eiche you had may have been past its prime. I was under the impression that it was a winter seasonal.)

Yeah- that was kind of my point . I am hoping that I can get to try some more of their more traditional beers some day. It definitely seems they can do a quality job on those as well, judging by what they've sent to NY so far.

 

Samuel Adams Black Lager is very good.

 

According to the BA description: “Schlenkerla Oak Smoke will be available during Christmas time 2009 at our historic brewery tavern in Bamberg (first tapping Dec. 18th), and on draft as special import in the USA - please contact our US importer for availability.” So, it appears that Hunterdon obtains draft beers from Schlenkerla (upon request?).

I am sure that Jack’s Abby could make a quality Helles (think Sly Fox Helles Golden Lager). The question they are likely asking themselves in this regard is: If we brew a quality Helles beer would beer drinkers buy a lot of this product? I believe I know the answer to that question but I prefer to not articulate it.

Cheers!

 

Probably going to be hard to find outside of the brewery (and some stores) but Relic Brewing here in CT makes a great schwarzbier called Blackheart: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28510/78840/

 

It could have been sitting around- who knows at this point. But what you described is not how I have experienced that beer before. It's not my favorite beer of theirs by a long shot, and I don't even think it has that 'magic' that the rest have, but I definitely haven't gotten a medicinal quality from it before.

They would probably buy it, but just not talk it up on beer-related websites .

 

Always the irritable schmo to point out that BA has reviews. Thanks for being him today

 

Local fav The Kidd from Fort Collins Brewery is quite good, but limited ditribution.

 

Rogue Dirtoir Lager is by far my favorite of the style.

 

Monchshof Schwarbier

Rogue Chatoe Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager

Sprecher Black Bavarian

Saranac Black Forest

I know I'll take some criticism for the Saranac, but I like it and The Bros's have it rated as a 96

 

Chimney Sweep

 

When the first beer on that list is a 9.7% beer made with espresso, I really have to question the value of that list.

 

Metropolitan's Magnetron was pretty excellent, as was Grand Teton's 5 O'clock Shadow (though an "imperial" schwarz...). Three Floyds' Das Kleine... was ok, but is a bit overrated. Also throw my support behind Schell's Chimney Sweep. If you can find Innstadt's, I thought that was a pretty good import.

 

Could say the same about any part of the reviews.

 

Obviously likes being that guy. But seriously, without even tasting the beers, I would say 3 out of the top 10 aren't really even schwarzbiers, at least in the traditional sense. Maybe its just me, but I do enjoy schwarzbiers but I can't say I've ever thought, "this would taste better if aged in a barrel, imperialized, over hopped, or other random flavors added." So as helpful as a top 10 IPA list may be, even despite the availability of some beers, at least they are IPAs. That list of schwarzbiers would be the equivalent of top stouts, whether RIS, American IS, BBA, coffee, milk, etc. all in the same category.

 

As we know (or should know), the list is composed of ratings by BAs so it should be remembered that a lot of people who frequent this site like barrel-aged, Imperialized, over-hopped, flavored beers.

Having said that, it's a place to start. And yes, I like being that guy.

 

Black Bavarian is definitely Sprecher's best beer. I hate to say it, but Sprecher, MKE, and LakeFront are all mediocre beer, though each tends to have 1 beer that is pretty great. Black Bavarian is definitely Sprecher's!